The interest and involvement one finds in staying and working online cannot be found when you work offline. For when you are online, you are connected to, served by or available through a system.

Even though the terms online and hotline were not specifically used in 7th century as they are used and understood now in the computer-savvy 21st century but the fact remains that the Qur’an recognized its importance 14 centuries ago!

As Heart occupies a central and vital place in Islam, the need of the hour is to update one’s system and change ourselves from being offline Muslims to online Muslims to heartline Muslims!

Ponder over this question posed by man’s very Programmer, Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’aala:

“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?” (Surah Muhammad 47: 24)

When Allah is asking this question, is not He conveying the message that man has kept his system shut down? That his heart is locked, meaning his system is locked? That he needs to switch on and connect himself with Kalaamullah? That man has to get online and be heartline with His Creator?

When you are heartline with Allah, you concentrate. Your mind doesn’t wander. You stay focused. You develop humility. You actually feel the joy of connectivity.

And most importantly, you respect and honour the One with Whom you want to connect.

Connecting with one’s heart has cutting edge over all other connections:

1. That you can connect wherever you are: In flight, submarines, mountaintops, thick forests, in the desert, peace marches, battlefields, mosque, market etc.

2. That you can connect anytime, and you won’t find the line to be busy or engaged!!

Let us explore some of the Qur’anic verses/ahadeeth/du’aas to learn how Islam appreciates the value of being heartline with Allah!

1. TESTIMONY FROM THE GLORIOUS QUR’AN:

The unique ayah in the Qur’an establishing the connection between heart and remembrance of Allah, heart and satisfaction, heart and zikr and solace:

“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” (Surah Ar-Ra’ad 13: 28)

Heart is everything!

“So have they not traveled through the earth and have hearts by which to reason and ears by which to hear? For indeed, it is not eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts”. (Surah al Hajj 2: 46)

“The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children. But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.” (Surah Ash Shu’araa 26: 89)

Emaan is dynamic, and connected with a Mumin’s heart:

“The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely.” (Surah al Anfaal 8: 2)

DU’AAS FROM THE QUR’AN:

1. Du’aa for heart’s consistency and to stay connected:

“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower” (Surah Aali Imran 3: 8)

2. Du’aa for the soundness of heart and protection against resentment:

“And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” (Surah al Hashr 59: 10)

2. TESTIMONY FROM THE HADEETH:

This one hadeeth is sufficient to emphasize the fact that man’s heart plays a pivotal role in making him good or bad.

“Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be sound, all the body is sound and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart”.[al-Bukhari, Muslim] Arabic Text Here

“O Allah! Join our hearts, mend our social relationship, guide us to the path of peace, bring us from darkness to light, save us from obscenities, outward or inward, and bless our ears, our eyes, our hearts, our wives, our children, and relent towards us, You are the Relenting, the Merciful. And make us grateful for Your blessings and make us praise it while accepting it and give it to us in full”.

8. Du’aa for seeking protection from heart’s evil:

اللهم إني أعوذ بك من شر قلبي

“O Allah! I seek your refuge from the evil of my heart”

9. Du’aa for seeking light in one’s heart:

اللهم اجعل في قلبي نورا

“O Allah! Give light in my heart”

10. Du’aa for making the Qur’an spring of one’s heart:

اللهم اجعل القرآن العظيم ربيع قلبي ونور صدري

“O Allah! Make the glorious Qur’an the spring of my heart and the light of my chest”.

اللهمّ طهّر قلبي من النفاق

“O Allah! Clean my heart from hypocrisy”

13. Du’aa for a fearing and conscious heart:

“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from a knowledge which is not beneficial, and from a heart which does not fear (You), and from a desire which is not satisfied, and from a supplication which is not answered”.

May Allah give us the Tawfeeq and Hidayah to follow His Deen fully and properly.

May Allah accept our fasts, our salah, our ibadah and include us among the righteous.

May we involve ourselves when we read Qur’an and make du’aa and offer Salah. Aameen.